Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Sout...rn ~allf.rnl.·Arl ••n."'ut".rn N•••de· Sout".rn Callf. . .I..Arl••n....ut...rn N....... Southern Callf.rnl..ArI••1I Western hotline ~ Q,) ~ e u o Q,) Q,) (Above) Ron .Lechlen (791 leed. Rick Johnaon at AME'. Supercro... (Below) Phil uraon (47) and Jeff Wa~ (11) dice In the flm tum pack. Ward, O'Mara, Larson win at . AMEstadium Star-o-cross By Mike Johns VALENCIA, CA, NOV. 14 The gates of Iridian Dunes opened to lines of riders and families, stretching as far as the eye could see in both directions. World class, National and local hotshoes came together for the 1982 Van Nuys Cycle sponsored American Motocross Enterprises Championship Motocross final. Speculation in the pits was centered around whether the Indian Dunes' "Wrecking Crew" could hang on to their title? When the gate dropped on the first Pro event, thousands of spectators lined the course to see "crew member" Tim Locey (Answer Products/Team Yam) jump to an early lead. Fellow "crewmate" Tracey Oswell and his KTM were second with Yamaha rider Mark White in third. Team Honda's "Radica)" Ron Turner was in fourth, Greg Zitterkopf fifth and Phil Larson, the one who would be king, from American Honda in sixth. Locey rode very well, but by lap four things changed. Phil Larson made his move and stole past Zitterkopf on lap two, Mark White and Honda teammate Turner on lap three and finally Tracey Oswell on lap four. This left Locey and Larson all to themselves as they reached for the outer limits. On lap nine, Larson set Locey up with an inside drive through the "High Point Himalayas" that would give him the lead and the win for mow one. Locey finished second with Oswell third. Turner dropped out on lap five, not to return for the second moto. White stayed right in there for fourth. The second moto was a near carbon copy of the first, only this time Brand Johnson of Suzuki of Ventura made an impression on the class wi th come-from-behind fourth place in - back of Oswell. Overall it was Larson (I-I), Locey (2-2) for second, the KTM of Oswell (3-4) for third and Zitterkopf'fourth (5-3). The next Pro event was the 125cc class. Thirty-three riders lined up for Ploto one, and through the "Shoei Start Chute" first was Erik Kehoe, from Team Yamaha, followoo by Jeff Ward from Kawasaki. The "0' Show," Johnny O'Mara, was third and fourth place, first privateer, was Robert Laughlin of Jammin' USA. Years of minicycle championships, National and World championship racing experience were evident in Jeff Ward's riding style. Calm and cool as some of the best in the country tried to apply pressure, Ward moved past Kehoe on lap two and bid adieu to the second place rider for the rest of the moto. O'Mara made his move on KehOe on lap three. He and Ward had a battle to set the Dunes ablaze. The O'Show tried lines everywhere, but Ward would not compromise. As they drove hard toward the "Coca-Cola Crushers," O'Mara had a brief moment in the lead as he passed Ward in mid-air. O'Mara D:lay be fi,lctory, but his roots are "Wr~ck ing Crew," and the crowd went wtldl Ward made a brilliant move around the cottonwood tree that would remain the last lead change. At the flag Ward was first~ O'Mara second and Kehoe third. AJ Whiting (Answer Produets/KaI-GardlYam) and Laughlin battled to the bitter end, with the nod for fourth and first privateer going to AJ. Second moto saw Ward grab the hoelshot with O'Mara in pursuit and Kehoe trailing in third. They remained in that order to the finish. The newest member of Team Suzuki Gary Bowman, charged hard for fourth with top privateer honors going to Kal-Gard's Russ Wageman in fifth. Overall it was Ward (1-1),0' Mara (2-2), Kehoe (3-3), AJ Whiting (4-7) and Gary Bowman (8-4) rounding the top five. The next Pro event to assault the track was the 250cc class. Thirty riders formed the line-up. Missing from the gate, but making an appearance with his beautiful wife was Donnie Hansen, out to cheer on'the:'r'ider' . J Donnie's father-in-law, Preston Petty, flew out to the track to enjoy the racing. In moto one Phil Larson and his '83 Honda grabbed the lead and heldit to the ninth lap. O'Mara made his move. O'Mara slipped inside of Larson to take the lead when a rider went down on the "Van Nuys Cycle Plateau." Larson swerved to avoid hitting the downed rider and O'Mara took the starring role in the "Johnny O'Show." In the meantime, Team Yamaha's two newest stars, Rick Johnson and Ron Lechien had a fierce battle going for third. Johnson came from II th on the first lap to pass Scott Manning, Ed Arnet, Jim Coffey, Russ Wageman and Zoli Meszaros to move in on Lechien in third. Johnson pulled Lechien, who normally rides 125s, on the straights, but Ron would hang on in the comers. At the halfway point, Johnson and Lechien were side by side across the VNC Plateau. As they landed, Johnson got the drive and locked in third place. Ward, who had pulled a third place spot on lap one, dropped out because of lack of juice through the ignition. He ~owed moto two would be another story. At the end of the first moto, O'Mara took the win with Larson second, Johnson third, Lechien fourth and fifth, first priyateer, Jim Coffey. Round two saw O'Mara jump to an early lead with Ward second, and Larson third, Johnson fourth and.. Lechien fifth. First privateer was sixth, the Honda Tamm Racing's Mike Shoemaker. The top four took racing to its purest level. Ward kept the pressure on as O'Mara kicked in the afterburners. The smart money seemed to be on Johnson. Not more than a bikelength separated the riders as they whipped the record crowd into a fEeozy. By the eighth lap it was O'Mara, Ward and Johnson, and nobody could ever tell that the race wasn't a national event. The three riders criss-crossed the track in every conceivable fashion. On lap nine, Ward made his move on the "Coca-Cola Crushers" to overtake O'Mara for the lead. On lap 10 Johnson made the same move to bump O'Mara to third with Larson still in fourth. When the checkered £lag fell ~nd it was all over, Ward got revenge and the second moto victory. Johnson finished up second, O'Mara third, Larson fourth and Lechien fifth. The overall order we~t O'Mara (1-3), Johnson (3-2), Larson (2-4), Lechien (4-5) and top privateer Coffey fifth with a 5-7 tally. Jerry Shore wishes to thank everyone for all their support and caring thoughts. Racing people are the reason racing is so special, and he looks forward to again joining you in the challenge of reaching goals. Lechien, Locey, Dubach bag wins at SSM By Lee Kober Suzuki's Gary Bowman, Team Green's Todd Campbell and Rick Maki. Bowman pressured Meeks for the lead while Campbell and Suzuki rider Maki were racing for third. Bowman put his Suzuki in front and built a small lead, but had to drop out with engine problems. Meeks dropped back to fifth while Maki took the lead from Campbell, but he also had to drop out with engine problems. That left Campbell all alone to take the win. Suzuki rider Doug Dubach put on a strong charge from the rear to take second. Third went to Yamahamounted Chris Howard and fourth to Willy Simmons. Campbell got the lead in the second moto ahead of Maki, Meeks, and Dubach. Dubach moved quickly into second place ahead-of Maki. The next lap found Dubach leading with a five-second margin. Dubach was never challenged for the lead and took the win and the overall. Second overall went to Campbell and third to Howard. Yamaha rider Ron Lechien took the lead in the first 250cc Pro moto followed closely by Honda riders Jim Tarantino, Clark Jones, and Ron Turner. Lechien and his 250 YZ were the dominant force on the track as he pulled. away to a huge lead over Tarantino. Lechien kept it to the checkers followed by Tarantino, Jones and Turner. At the start of the second moto, Tarantino piloted his Honda into first position ahead of Lechien. Tarantino was still leading on to the third lap when he crushed his pipe and had to drop. out. Lechien pulled out a lead on second place rider Turner. Lechien took the overall with Turner taking second. Jones picked up third overall for the day. Yamaha pilot Tim Locey completely dominated the Open Pro class, . holeshotting both motos and running away with the win. The race was for second in both motos as three-time national champ Gary Jones and his Husky keptshutting the door on Honda-mounted Don Griewe every time he had a chance to pass. Jones got second overall, Griewe took third. Ed Arnet cruised in to take fourth overall on a Honda. Results 125 PRo: 1. Doug Dubllch (Suzl; 2. Todd Campbell (K_I; 3. Chris Howerd (Yaml. 250 PRO: ,. Ron Lechien (Yaml; 2. Ron Turner (Honl; 3. Clark Jon.. (Honl. OPEN PRO: 1. Tim Locey (Vaml; 2. Gary Jones (Husl; 3. Don Gr~ (Honl. 125 INT: 1. Tim Foster (Suzl; 2. Steve Stewart (Kawl; 3. Dan cantley (K_I. 250 INT: 1. Mark Adam80n (Suzl; 2. Bill Scott (Yaml; 3. Jeff tong (Suz). OPEN INT: 1. Paul Huffman (Hon); 2. Dlnny Lyons (Vaml; 3. Art Ge,.i.. (Hon). 125 NOV: 1. Greg Wolfe (Suz); 2. Wlrren Wolfe (Yam); 3. Ale. Plglia (Suz). 250 NOV: 1. William Noble (Suz); 2. Marcelo Moraga (Suzl; 3. Larry Craven (Yam). OPEN NOV: ,. Ed Herrera (Yam); 2. Todd Wi..man (Yaml; 3. Ken Feulner (Mai). 125 BEG: ,. Perry Ferguson (Suz); ,. Mark Cuaritis (Suzl; 3. Darren Deffenbaugh (Suzl. 250 BEG: ,. Steve Nel80n (Suz); 2. Bill Mahaffey (Suz); 3. George Ulech (YamI. OPEN BEG: 1. Mike Gilette (yam). MINIINT: 1. Gene Baldwin (Yam); 2. Thayne lito (Yaml. . MINI NOV: 1. Colin KarcMr (Yaml; 2. Steve Owens (Ylml. MINI BEG: ,. Bill Hudson (Suz); 2. Erick Hilton (Yaml; 3. Josh Niday (Kawl. VET EX: 1. Alan Olson (Mai); 2. Paul Mahnke (Honl; 3. Jim Beltnick (Mail. VET INT: 1. John Tartaglia (Mail. VET NOV: ,. Neil Stapleton (Honl; 2. Terry Pratt (Yaml; 3. Kurt Sofka (Suzl. ORANGE, CA, NOV. 13 Yamaha riders Ron Lechien and Tim Locey, and Suzuki rider Doug Dubach took home the winner's share of the Sat- McLeod steals CRC Bandito GP By Terry Rezek 'urday Saddleback's $1,500 Pro purse ORANGE CA NOV 21 put up by Standard Crankshaft. ". " . Kawasaki rider Tracy Meeks pulled The rescheduled Bandito • 'rh'e' fifst 125tc Pro l'i'dlesli'dt'

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